To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Rerun: How to Be a Dissident Jul 4, 2026 48:27 For the 4th July we're re-running Charlie's conversation with Gal Beckerman, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the book, “How to Be a Dissident.” The two walk through Gal’s book which outlines the simple but difficult steps anyone can take to avoid falling mistakenly in line with a political system that’s going off the rails. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corruption. Immigration, Abortion and The Broken Brains of MAGA Jul 2, 2026 51:09 On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie welcomes back journalist and author of “The Red Letter,” Tara Palmeri. They discuss Trump’s obsession with image leading up to the 4th of July holiday, immigration and Palmeri’s recent interview with Congresswoman, Kat Cammack.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Trump Is Entering a Dark Season” Jun 30, 2026 47:13 Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to talk about Trump's recent Supreme Court wins and losses, Trump's state fair fiasco, and the consequences of cultural degradation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump Is Sabotaging the American Idea Jun 27, 2026 52:03 Jamil Smith is a columnist at The Guardian and a lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss what America's upcoming 250th birthday means to them, the latest Supreme Court decisions and their implications, and Trump's obsession with voter suppression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Trump's Key Policies Are Fundamentally Anti-Libertarian" Jun 25, 2026 47:33 Peter Suderman is the features editor for Reason, a free market libertarian magazine. In this episode he joins Charlie to discuss the decline of libertarian influence in the Republican Party, the relationship between government power and corporate influence, and the rise of progressive candidates following the recent elections in New York. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio

Donald Trump's Megalomania Jun 20, 2026 50:02 Sofia Kinzinger was a WH staffer under Trump during his first term. In this episode, she talks to Charlie about what it was like, and about her journey and political awakening. They also discuss JD Vance's book launch and the future of the Republican Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s Deal Is an Abject Surrender Jun 18, 2026 48:23 Ed Luce from the Financial Times joins Charlie to discuss the deal with Iran, the Netanyahu-Trump fallout, and Elon Musk's obsession with Britain.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America Gave Up on Its Own History Jun 16, 2026 47:30 Yoni Appelbaum, historian and deputy executive editor at The Atlantic, joins Charlie to go over what we know — and don't know — about the deal with Iran and what it all means for US interests in the region. They also discuss Appelbaum's latest article, in which he argues that the US has lost the ability to agree on a shared national story and, as a result, has largely stopped trying to tell o

Trump’s ‘Sitzkrieg’ in Iran Jun 13, 2026 57:29 Atlantic writer Tom Nichols joins Charlie to catch up on Trump's zigzagging on Iran, discuss Elon Musk's new status as a trillionaire, and unpack the absurdity of Pete Hegseth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Alternative Universe of Grief Jun 11, 2026 45:43 In this special To the Contrary episode, Charlie sits down with Danielle Crittenden, whose daughter Miranda died suddenly two years ago. Crittenden recently published Dispatches from Grief: A Mother's Journey Through the Unthinkable. They discuss life after loss, how to talk about grief, and the awkward moments that arise when you tell others you've lost someone you love. Hosted on Acast. See acas

The Ferrets Running Around in Trump’s Brain Jun 9, 2026 44:24 Legal analyst and Talking Feds host, Harry Litman, joins Charlie to dissect Trump's brief interview with Meet the Press, his legal battles over the slush fund, and the DOJ declaration that Trump has the right to bulldoze the Statue of Liberty.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tara Palmeri: Men Behaving Badly Jun 6, 2026 44:11 On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie sits down with journalist and author of “The Red Letter” Substack, Tara Palmeri. The two of them discuss Main’s messy Senate race, Trump’s behavior with female reporters in the Oval Office and CBS’ continual crumble.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Trump Is Losing Power and It’s Making Him More Malicious" Jun 4, 2026 43:55 Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he joins Charlie to talk about Trump's-now-killed slush fund, U.S.-Israel relations, and the war with Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Happened to Rudy Giuliani? Jun 2, 2026 48:43 John Avlon is chair of Citizens Union, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and former chief speechwriter for Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss Trump's UFC cage, Rudy Giuliani's fall from grace, and John Cornyn's scorpion fable post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Trump Be Stopped? Actually, Yes. May 30, 2026 46:14 Miles Taylor is a former DHS official during Trump's first term and the founder of Defiance.org. He joins Charlie to discuss how the administration's changes to the green card process reveal that Trump's immigration stance was never about those who entered the country illegally — but about all immigrants. They also cover artists pulling out of the Freedom 250 concert and Trump's potential role in

Trump’s Bread and Circuses Moment May 28, 2026 44:46 Former Congressman and children’s book author, Adam Kinzinger, joins Charlie to discuss the ridiculousness of the UFC Octagon project on the WH lawn, Megyn Kelly's shock at Trump's corruption, and Texas election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should We Have Billionaires? May 23, 2026 50:46 Justin Wolfers is a professor of economics at the University of Michigan and author of the Platypus Economics Substack. In this episode, he joins Charlie to make the case against big tech moguls, discuss the price tag of Trump's Iran adventure, and talk about how crony capitalism is reshaping America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the Corruption, Stupid May 21, 2026 51:20 Phillips O'Brien is a historian and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss Trump's corruption, his desperate Iran's gambit, and his weak position in global politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's Goon Squad Slush Fund May 19, 2026 56:31 Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and professor of international relations at the University of Illinois, joins Charlie to discuss the new levels of corruption Trump and his family have descended into. They also discuss Trump's visit to China, his Iran conundrum, and whether Cuba is next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ozymandias Phase of the Trump Presidency May 16, 2026 44:39 Tim O'Brien, Senior Executive Editor at Bloomberg Opinion, joins Charlie to discuss the President's recent China visit, the poor state of American democracy, and Trump's golden phone scam.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Frum: Trump’s "America First" Is Actually "America Alone" May 14, 2026 54:00 David Frum of The Atlantic joins Charlie to discuss Trump's China visit, his ignorance on oil and the global economy, and the Democrats' missteps heading into the midterms. The conversation also turns personal: Frum reflects on loss and his wife's new book about their family's journey through grief after losing their daughter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Be a Dissident May 9, 2026 47:58 On today’s episode, Charlie welcomes Gal Beckerman, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the book, “How to Be a Dissident.” The two walk through Gal’s book which outlines the simple but difficult steps anyone can take to avoid falling mistakenly in line with a political system that’s going off the rails. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Of Ballrooms, Blasphemy, and the Return of Abortion Politics May 7, 2026 33:58 On today's 'To the Contrary" podcast, Charlie is joined by NYT contributor Molly Jong-Fast to discuss the latest developments: the GOP's billion dollar ballroom; stunning new polling on the Trump-as-Jesus meme; this week's TACO on Iran, and why the abortion issue has exploded back onto the political scene. (They also talk about Molly's cameo in the new "Devil Wears Prada 2" movie.) Hosted on Acast

From Comey to Kimmel: Trump’s War on Free Speech May 5, 2026 48:03 On today’s episode, Charlie welcomes attorney, NYT Best-selling author and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Greg Lukianoff. Charlie and Greg discuss the ways Trump is weaponizing the FCC to skirt free speech and how his efforts fit into the larger nuances of 1st Amendment rights in the US today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The More Unpopular Trump Becomes, the More Extreme He’ll Get” May 2, 2026 45:39 The New Yorker's Susan Glasser joins Charlie to discuss Trump's war on free speech and press freedom, US relations with Ukraine, Russia, and China, and Trump missing the point of King Charles' speech.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Real King Dings Our Fake King Apr 30, 2026 53:50 Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to dissect King Charles' historic address to Congress and Trump's feud with the pope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anne Applebaum: Trump’s Authoritarian Aesthetics Apr 28, 2026 44:27 The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum joins Charlie to discuss the fallout from the White House Correspondents' dinner, Victor Orbán's defeat, and why Trump wants to talk about his ballroom and his triumph arch rather than Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Kevin Warsh, You’re a Disgrace” Apr 25, 2026 47:55 Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie to rage about Trump's Fed chair nominee. They also discuss the importance of Fed independence, prediction markets, and private credit markets.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kinzinger: How the Next President Can Erase Donald Trump Apr 23, 2026 51:07 Former Congressman and now children’s book author, Adam Kinzinger, joins Charlie to discuss gerrymandering, the state of Congress, and what should the next President do to make sure there isn't another Trump-style presidency in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“What Did These People Think Would Happen?” Apr 21, 2026 46:15 Tom Nichols, Atlantic staff writer and author of The Death of Expertise, joins Charlie to discuss the anti-vax movement, the continuing crisis with Iran, and why Trump and his cabinet are "melting down."  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Trump Took a Hatchet to America’s “Shining City” Apr 18, 2026 48:04 On today’s episode, Charlie sits down with former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, former Managing Editor of TIME, and author, Richard Stengel. The two discuss the Trump administration’s ever-worsening performative piousness, how the Iran “deal” is just a recovery of Trump’s own doing and how the US’s global reputation is changing for the worse. Hosted on Acast. S

Trump‘s DOJ: From Bad to Worse Apr 16, 2026 39:26 Legal analyst and Talking Feds host, Harry Litman, joins Charlie to break down the Justice Department's efforts to vacate January 6 convictions for far-right extremists as well as its surprising position on the Presidential Records Act. Also in the episode: JD Vance's latest bizarre comments, the administration fight with the Pope, and the Epstein scandal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f

The Coalition We Need to Beat Trump: Lessons From Hungary Apr 14, 2026 49:13 Ian Bassin is Co-founder and Executive director of Protect Democracy and a 2023 recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant. He joins Charlie to discuss what are the lessons from Viktor Orbán’s defeat in Hungary's elections, global authoritarian trends, and the importance of coalition-building in defending democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Strangest Week (Plus the Attack on Free Speech) Apr 11, 2026 51:00 Sarah McLaughlin is a Senior Scholar of Global Expression at FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), and author of Authoritarians in the Academy. She joins Charlie to explore the global threats to free speech, especially with recent developments in Turkey, the UK, and Australia, and their implications for free expression in the US. Also, Charlie summarizes one of the strangest wee

“January 6th Reshaped My View of Legacy Media” Apr 9, 2026 41:18 Scott MacFarlane recently left CBS News and joined Substack as well as MeidasTouch. In this episode, he tells Charlie about his transition from traditional to independent media and what drove his decision. They also discuss whether the Iran deal is a strategic failure, the new acting US Attorney General, and the ongoing court cases involving Trump's ballroom and Kennedy Center.  Hosted on Aca

Yes, the Epstein Files Are Going to Rock the Midterms Apr 7, 2026 47:11 Sarah Fitzpatrick is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she covers national security and the Department of Justice. She joins Charlie to talk about why the Jeffrey Epstein scandal is here to stay, digest Trump's "Open the f***in' strait" post, and discuss the effects of gutting expertise within the Pentagon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's Easter Purge Apr 4, 2026 47:35 New York Times Opinion writer David French joins Charlie to discuss the beginning of "the great Trump purge," which started with the firing of Pam Bondi but is now rippling through the Pentagon and the military. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's War Blunder Apr 1, 2026 58:59 In this solo episode, Charlie answers listeners' questions on Trump's order on mail-in voting, the reports on Pete Hegseth's war stock, the future of NATO, and more. We decided to release this episode earlier than usual because of Trump's address to the nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The Military Has Been a Little Bit Confused” Mar 31, 2026 40:34 Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling served as commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe during the Obama administration. In this episode, he tells Charlie that it's very difficult for the military to draft a campaign plan for Iran when the end state goal is unclear. He also discusses his new book: “If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

It’s Time to Admit It: We Have a Psychotic Government Mar 28, 2026 45:49 Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he makes the case that the Trump administration is, as a whole, psychotic, erratic, and unpredictable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“There’s No National Interest With Trump, Just Personal” Mar 26, 2026 45:42 Phillips O'Brien is a historian and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss the different ways Trump could operate in Iran right now and the biggest obstacle to it all — the fact that Trump is only motivated by personal gain and that many people have given up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa

Is Trump TACOing on Iran? Mar 24, 2026 41:07 Former Congressman and Substack superstar, Adam Kinzinger, joins Charlie to discuss the economic implications of the Iran war, Trump's response to the death of Robert Mueller, and ICE deployment at airports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The "Wing Nut" Rise to Power Mar 21, 2026 51:06 On today’s episode, Charlie welcomes author, journalist, political commentator and former Congressional candidate, John Avlon. The two discuss the stark contrast between the decorum of past presidents and Trump, along with the broken incentive structures at the heart of the American political system, and how all this has brought political extremists to the forefront of American politics.  Hos

“I Phoned Donald Trump. He Answered...” Mar 19, 2026 47:12 Ed Luce from the Financial Times joins Charlie to discuss his recent phone call with the president, Trump's obsession with the British Prime Minister, and whether the US is opening another front in Cuba.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trumpology and the Iran Quagmire Mar 17, 2026 48:58 Trying to make sense of Trump's incoherent approach to war and peace with the New Yorker's Susan Glasser, one of the nation's foremost Trumpologists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran War: It’s Not Just the Economy, Stupid Mar 14, 2026 44:08 Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie to explain the impact of rising oil prices but also to remind us that there are much deeper questions that need to be asked. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s Iran FUBAR Mar 12, 2026 29:15 Molly Jong-Fast, host of the Fast Politics podcast and a contributing NYT Opinion writer, joins Charlie to discuss the miscalculations of the Iran war, the newly-streamable docu-bribe Melania, and Trump's troubles in Texas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The "Crude" Economic Reality of War in Iran Mar 10, 2026 35:51 Author and Senior Editor of Arc Digital, Nicholas Grossman, joins Charlie to discuss the White House's "hype videos" concerning the War in Iran, the economic consequences of the conflict and how the SAVE act may affect the upcoming midterms.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All the Things That Didn’t Get Noem Fired (But Should Have) Mar 7, 2026 53:48 In this solo episode, Charlie is recapping the long awaited firing of Homeland Security Secretary. He also answers the questions you sent us on a wide range of current issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Government Can’t Keep Its War Story Straight Mar 5, 2026 46:57 Josh Barro, co-host of Central Air and author of the Very Serious Substack, joins Charlie to discuss a wide range of political news: the Iran war, the Texas primaries, Anthropic, and Trump’s tariff obsession. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s War of Choice Mar 3, 2026 43:10 The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum joins Charlie to try to figure out why we're at war with Iran. Is it about Trump's friends and business partners in Gulf states and Israel? Was Iran a long-term obsession of Trump? Or is it just the ultimate wag-the-dog move for him at this moment? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump and the Death of Shame Feb 28, 2026 54:02 The Atlantic writer, Tom Nichols, joins Charlie to discuss the rise of extremist ideologies within the Republican Party, the Epstein files, and whether we're going to war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democrats Need a Winning Formula Feb 26, 2026 45:02 Voters have soured on Trump, but polls suggest they still have their doubts about Democrats. Long time Democratic strategist and president of The Searchlight Institute, Adam Jentleson, joins Charlie to discuss past mistakes and the challenges now facing the Democratic Party. Also, Trump's State of the Union, and Senator John Fetterman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Trump Uses Racism to Weaken American Democracy" Feb 24, 2026 43:50 Jamil Smith, a columnist at The Guardian, and lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, joins Charlie to discuss the State of the Union, Trump's blatant racism, and the latest environmental policy shift you probably didn't hear about.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the Matter with Lindsey Graham? Feb 21, 2026 45:35 Former Congressman and now children’s book author, Adam Kinzinger, joins Charlie to discuss Lindsey Graham’s behavior at the Munich Security Conference, the Trump administration inching closer to a conflict with Iran and how all this foreign policy affects the political landscape at home.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Epstein Has Hijacked Trump’s Presidency Feb 19, 2026 43:24 Tara Palmeri, host of The Tara Palmeri Show and the author of the newsletter “The Red Letter”, joins Charlie to discuss the latest on the Epstein scandal that shadowed almost every aspect of the second Trump presidency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump Just Did Something No President Has Tried Since 1798 Feb 17, 2026 47:50 Susan Glasser of The New Yorker joins Charlie to talk about Trump's attempt to arrest and indict six sitting members of Congress, Marco Rubio in Munich, and DHS asking tech companies to expose the personal details of "anti-ICE" social media accounts.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Frum: Why Trump is Failing Feb 14, 2026 51:25 David Frum of The Atlantic joins Charlie to break down the shifting public opinion on Trump, Pam Bondi’s congressional testimony, and how AI is changing us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Bezos’ Murder of the Washington Post Feb 12, 2026 47:09 Reporter Ashley Parker spent eight years at The Washington Post before joining The Atlantic. She’s been watching the recent moves by owner Jeff Bezos and the paper’s leadership, and explains to Charlie why she believes they may be leading the paper toward its demise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Viciousness Becomes a Virtue Feb 10, 2026 39:40 Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to explain why some evangelicals see Trump as a defender of their values. Also: Bad Bunny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s With Rich People These Days? Feb 7, 2026 52:10 Following Jeff Bezos's gutting of the Washington Post, economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie to try to unpack billionaires' actions. Also, how's the American economy really doing these days? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why ICE Can’t Be "Fixed" Feb 5, 2026 54:39 Garrett M. Graff, a contributing editor at WIRED and former editor of POLITICO Magazine, joins Charlie to try to answer that question. Also (not unrelated): where did the Proud Boys go? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lincoln Warned Us About Trump Feb 3, 2026 47:07 Legal analyst and Talking Feds host, Harry Litman, joins Charlie to talk about Trump shutting down Kennedy Center, the release of 5-year-old Liam Ramos, and the dire state of the U.S. Attorney office for the District of Minnesota.To read Litman's piece on the Kennedy Center: Trump Meets Lincoln, Doesn’t Recognize Him Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Renee Good and Alex Pretti Ever Get Justice? Jan 31, 2026 47:39 Kristy Greenberg, former Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and a legal analyst for MS Now, joins Charlie to dive into the current legal landscape and discuss the integrity of our justice system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Trump's ICE Strategy Backfired Jan 29, 2026 51:24 Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, joins Charlie to unpack how the administration’s “chaos is a ladder” approach to immigration enforcement is failing. Public perception is shifting and ICE is increasingly viewed as the problem, not the protesters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Money, Lies, God, and State Sponsored Murder Jan 27, 2026 46:44 Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of the book Money, Lies, and God joins Charlie to process the killing of Alex Pretti and share insights from her work on the New Right.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Violent Occupation of an American City Jan 24, 2026 44:14 New York Times Opinion writer David French joins Charlie to discuss the rising tensions in Minneapolis and Trump's newly formed "Board of Peace." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MAGA Jesus Versus the Real Jesus Jan 22, 2026 50:33 Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to discuss the latest DHS video and why many evangelical pastors are not standing up to Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Revisiting the Nuremberg Trials Jan 20, 2026 1:04:35 Charlie invites Joe Klein, political commentator and author of Primary Colors, to discuss the 1961 film Judgment at Nuremberg and the 2025 film Nuremberg, and why they resonate today. They also talk about some of the latest news, their political trajectories, and their disagreements.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DHS to White Supremacists: We’ve Got Your Backs Jan 17, 2026 50:49 Olivia Troye, a former DHS official who served under Trump during his first term, joins Charlie to talk about the week’s news and what’s been worrying her lately, including the dangers of DHS messaging on social media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook Jan 15, 2026 43:19 Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and contributing writer at The Atlantic, joins Charlie to explain why he thinks Trump is following a European authoritarian playbook.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue Screen of Hypocrisy Jan 13, 2026 49:17 Miles Taylor, a former DHS official during Trump's first term, joins Charlie to dissect the administration's response to the ICE killing of Nicole Renee Good in Minneapolis.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody Is Coming to Save Us Jan 10, 2026 55:24 In this episode, Charlie answers your questions about the ICE killing in Minneapolis, the Donroe Doctrine, and the psychological and physical burdens of living under Trumpism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Intellectuals of the MAGA movement Jan 8, 2026 49:51 Laura K. Field, the author of the new book "Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right," joins Charlie to explain why we should pay attention to the new right intellectuals and the seductive nature of their ideas.Field is a nonresident fellow in the Governance Studies program at Brookings Institution. She holds a Ph.D. in political theory and public law from the University of Texas

Trump's America Becomes the Neighborhood Bully Jan 6, 2026 50:42 Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum joins Charlie from Poland to discuss the troubling start to 2026 with Trump's actions in Venezuela. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 in Review: Tom Nichols Jan 3, 2026 1:01:20 Charlie and The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols reflect on the upheavals of 2025 and debate whether Trump really has three more years in office — or only one, if Democrats retake the House in 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 in Review: Matt Lewis Dec 30, 2025 50:38 Charlie invites Matt Lewis, author of Filthy Rich Politicians and Too Dumb to Fail, to look back at the year. They also look ahead and ask how the next president can fix the culture and repair the harm done by Trump. (Hint: it’s going to be extremely hard.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 in Review: Susan Glasser Dec 27, 2025 52:29 Charlie and The New Yorker writer Susan Glasser summarize the year for TTC listeners: The erosion of guardrails, the collapse of institutions, and the differences between 2025 and the first year of Trump 1.0, 2017. They also ask: what the hell is the point of Congress anymore? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's Coverup, Bari's Blunder Dec 23, 2025 53:09 In this episode, Charlie speaks with former GOP political strategist Lucy Caldwell. They discuss the botched release of the Epstein files, Bari Weiss's decision to spike a 60 Minutes segment, MAGA infighting, the problem with RFK, Jr., and a heated Senate race in Maine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every Red State Is Going to Have a Trump Airport Soon Dec 20, 2025 42:07 Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger came on TTC to talk about Trump's insistence on marking his territory everywhere -- from the Kennedy Center to the Presidential walk of fame, where he installed new plaques mocking Biden and Obama.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

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